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Clifford Lo

A manageress at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club was found murdered yesterday in an office of the Causeway Bay club.

Judy Nip Ho Mo-ling, 41, had been bashed in the side of the head and stabbed in the throat. Her body, covered by a black plastic bag, was found lying in a pool of blood in the first-floor office of the club's administration block in Hung Hing Road at about 6.30am by a cleaner.

Senior Superintendent Man Chi-hung, of Hong Kong Island regional crime unit, said Nip had apparently tried to fight off her attacker.

'Preliminary examinations revealed she had an impact on the left side of her head near the temple and there was a stab wound on her neck,' he said.

'There was a bit of disturbance inside the office but there was no sign of ransacking.'

He said paperwork and stationery had been shoved off a desk in signs of a struggle.

'We are still looking into her background and investigating the motive behind the killing,' Mr Man said.

A police spokesman said the victim's handbag and watch had disappeared. It was not known what the handbag contained.

A postmortem examination showed Nip had been killed by a single stab wound to the throat. Her head injury was caused either by a blow to the head or as she fell to the ground.

Officers were yesterday seeking interviews with Nip's colleagues, former staff and relatives.

Nip, who had been with the club for about 20 years, was last seen working in the first-floor office at about 6pm on Monday.

About 40 officers and two tracker dogs searched the club but no weapon was discovered.

The victim is survived by her husband and twin nine-year-old sons, who live in a Wan Chai flat.

Nip, whose job title was marine manager, was responsible for the moorings and competitions at the club. She supervised more than 10 staff, club commodore Alan Lau Kwok-lam said.

He said Nip would be remembered as a kind and pleasant person. 'She knew everybody around the club and was very helpful and dedicated,' Mr Lau said. There were no complaints against her and he was not aware of any argument in which she was involved.

Concerning club security, Mr Lau said: 'We have very good security all around the club. But of course this is something we have to look at again.'

He said the club's security work was contracted out but it also had its own guards.

The administration block in which Nip's body was found is located next to the clubhouse. The ground floor is occupied by a souvenir shop and storerooms, while the offices are on the first floor.

There are security personnel stationed in the guard post at the club's main entrance around the clock. Closed-circuit TV cameras and recorders are installed in the car park for surveillance.

All Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club racing scheduled on Saturday and Sunday has been cancelled as a mark of respect.



Manageress stabbed to death at yacht club